New Delhi: The Union government of India has expanded the Ayushman Bharat scheme to include senior citizens aged 70 and above.
This decision was made after a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The expansion will provide health coverage for 4.5 crore families, including six crore senior citizens.
Each family will receive an annual health cover of ₹ 5 lakh under this scheme.
A special card will be issued to senior citizens aged 70 and above for healthcare benefits.
Ayushman Bharat : Eligibility
All eligible family members, regardless of age, are covered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
The scheme has facilitated 7.37 crore hospital admissions, with 49% of the beneficiaries being women.
The total benefits provided to the public under this scheme have crossed ₹ 1 lakh crore.
Prime Minister Modi initially announced this expansion for senior citizens aged 70 and above in April.
Initially, the scheme covered 10.74 crore economically disadvantaged families, representing the bottom 40% of India’s population.
In January 2022, the beneficiary base increased to 12 crore families due to population growth.
The scheme also benefits 37 lakh ASHA, Anganwadi workers, and their families with free healthcare coverage.
Now, senior citizens aged 70 and above will receive an additional ₹ 5 lakh annual health coverage.
This top-up coverage is exclusive to them and doesn’t need to be shared with other family members.
Senior citizens already covered under AB PM-JAY will automatically receive this additional coverage.
Those covered under CGHS, ECHS, or Ayushman CAPF schemes can choose to switch to AB PM-JAY.
Senior citizens with private health insurance or ESI schemes are also eligible for AB PM-JAY benefits.
Ayushman Bharat is the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme, covering 12.34 crore families.
It provides health coverage of ₹ 5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitalizations.
The scheme now benefits approximately 55 crore people across India, ensuring access to essential healthcare.
This expansion aims to reduce the financial burden on senior citizens and provide them with necessary healthcare services.
